Carey B. Lavergne

The goal of Lavergne's project is to educate students on the daily food recommendations to become healthy teens, teach healthy cooking methods and portions and provide an opportunity for students to showcase local culinary arts of the Louisiana region. Her program "Tasty Treats for Teens" helps students evaluate favorite desserts, side dishes and snack foods to decide how to make "healthier" versions of them. Healthier recipes for these munchies will be presented to the student body in a taste test. The approved food will be compiled in a cookbook for distribution to other students and high schools in the area. Lavergne notes that there are "a lot of health programs out there for the obese child or unfit adult, but teens seem to fall through the cracks." Her project, which will use the USDA's Food Pyramid Web site to calculate the daily requirements that teens need to keep their bodies healthy will address this issue. Lavergne is a resident of Lafayette.